Loving elephants assisting a downed baby…A beautiful story unravels before our eyes….

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 Although we missed the actual birth of the calf, we were thrilled to have seen this important process…getting the baby on her feet for the very first time. Amazing! See the photos below for the outcome.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A yellow-billed heron sitting atop the back of a hippo at Sunset Dam in Kruger National Park.

Our trip to Kruger National Park a few days ago left us in a state of awe and wonder. Not only did “safari luck” befall us in several instances such as in the case of yesterday’s post highlighting a gorgeous cheetah but also in many other scenes we encountered that day.  

If you missed yesterday’s post, please click here to see the stunning cheetah.

When we came upon this scene which was blocked by numerous vehicles we jockeyed for position to get a good enough spot for taking the above videos and sequential photos below.

On the outrageously hot day with temps in the 42C (108F) range, nothing seemed more appealing than spending the better part of the day in airconditioned comfort in the little car. As long as we didn’t get a flat tire on the bumpy dirt roads, we’d be good for the day.

At first, we thought the baby was injured or ill but after reviewing our photos, taken in bright sun, we could see it was a newborn calf.

By the way, we should mention here that other than stopping at various camps or restaurants nestled in guarded areas of the park, visitors are not allowed out of their vehicles. The exception would be of course, if one ran into mechanical difficulties with their mode of transportation.  

However, in these cases, its required that the emergency number listed on the entrance-to-the-park-documents must be called promptly to gain assistance in any such occurrence. One doesn’t want to be outside their vehicle replacing a tire in the park.

The baby elephant, lying on the sand unable to stand.

Actually, it’s dangerous to even have a hand, arm, or leg outside the vehicle for any reason. We are often shocked when we see self-driven vehicles with a passenger hanging outside the windows or sunroof. This is definitely the type of scenario that could attract a hungry lion, an angry cape buffalo, or a determined bull elephant.

Gently nudging and pushing the others assisted in getting the calf on her feet.

Speaking of elephants, today’s story and photos are about an encounter we had on Tuesday at the Verhami Dam while heading to the park’s exit at the Crocodile Bridge. We’d already had a good day and weren’t expecting to see much more during the 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) return drive to the gate.  

In the past Verhami Dam when it was less dry, this dam was an excellent location to spot considerable species. The fresh water in the dam was a huge attraction for elephants, giraffes, cape buffalos, and impalas.  

The baby is finally on her feet with the help of the family.

But now, almost completely dry for lack of rain over these past many months, we hadn’t seen a thing at the dam in our past several visits. As we approached the dam, we couldn’t help but become enthused when we noticed several cars lined up on one side of the road with passengers “hanging out windows” to get a better view.

The sun was bright and it was so hot, it was a challenge turning off the car and opening the windows. Shooting through glass is never our preference and we do so only when there’s a possible danger in opening the windows.  

Female elephants don’t usually reproduce until they are 14 or 15 years old.

But, we remained diligent awaiting the perfect opportunity to get into a good position to make a video and take photos as vehicles in front of us finally drifted away.  

The intensity of the sun made it difficult to see what we were shooting but we fired away not knowing exactly what we were seeing until we returned to our holiday home in Marloth Park, uploaded the photos and video, and finally, it was clear…it was a newborn being assisted in standing for the very first time!

We couldn’t have been more thrilled to have witnessed this magical occurrence with the most loving and emotional animals on the planet..majestic elephants.  

The baby isn’t quite sure where to nurse but she’s trying to figure it out.

Yes, over and over again, on YouTube videos we’ve watched stunning scenes of elephants interacting with one another during times of crisis. But, to see it live firsthand was precious and we’re delighted to share it with our readers today.

Please, I implore you, watch the video. It will give you, as it did us, a chance to see a little further into the love and caring nature of these wild beasts. Enjoy, along with us!

More will follow tomorrow as we continued on our exceptional visit to Kruger National Park to which we’ll return again soon. We can’t ever seem to get enough!

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, September 20, 2017:

I walked through the archways in the topiary garden at Senor Scissorhands Topiary Garden in the small town of Zarcero, Costa Rica. For more of these photos, please click here.

Cheetah day!…Expressions of a cheetah in the wild…Fantastic sightings in Kruger National Park…

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Based on our position in the line-up of vehicles our photo taking advantage was limited.  

“Sighting of the Day in The Bush”

The now-visiting-daily mongooses gather in a pile staring at us until Tom mixes up the bowl of eggs. I talk to them to keep them entertained while he prepares the eggs. We’re happy to feed them to keep them around to deal with snakes.

As mentioned in yesterday’s post here, when the power had gone out in the morning we decided to go to Kruger for the day. Not knowing when it would return and based on the high temperature of 42C (108F) it wasn’t such a bad idea to spend the better part of the day in the airconditioned little car.

These cats are easily distinguishable from leopards based on the dark tears running down their eyes.

Our expectations weren’t high on such a hot day. Would wildlife hide under trees and bush to take cover from the heat? No doubt, many did just that as we spotted many herds of impalas, kudus, and wildebeest seeking protection from the heat of the sun.

It was a mere week or so ago we’d been to Kruger traveling along the main paved road (one of few) that we observed the recent “controlled burn” leaving the bush along that road blackened for at least 45 minutes of the hour-plus drive to Lower Sabie. And yet, magically, it already seemed to be recovering.

Every so often, she’d change positions providing us with additional shots.

We decided to stop for breakfast at the Mugg & Bean restaurant in Lower Sabie which overlooks the Sabie River, often providing some good sightings and photo ops. After breakfast, we’d continue on our self-drive traveling on bumpy dirt roads. 

We watched the cheetah for quite a while but she never stood. In the scorching heat, she seemed comfortable in the shade.

The drive surpassed our expectations, especially when early on we noticed a number of safari vehicles driving down a dirt road to a loop we’d never noticed in the past. We believe based on the map that it was at Gasanftom Road/Gezantombi Waterhole/Watergat.

Moments after entering the loop, we encountered no less than eight safari vehicles with passengers hanging out the sides and windows with cell phones, cameras, and tablets in hand.

What a nice face!

They were obviously gushing with enthusiasm as to the creature before their eyes, a cheetah lying in the shade, awake, alert, and seemingly unaffected by the presence of the growing crowd.

Dozing for a moment?

Tom maneuvered the little car to the best possible vantage point and we too felt excited with this sighting. It was one of few cheetahs we’d seen in Kruger over these past many months. There was only one cheetah.

Sure, we’d like to have seen more cheetahs. But, as we’ve learned over this long period in Marloth Park/Kruger National Park, we’ve come to appreciate spotting “one” of any wild animal. Yes, numbers are exciting but it doesn’t diminish the power, grace, and beauty of any species.

She heard a sound in the bush.

Here are some facts about cheetahs, the second-fastest mammal on the planet, from Kruger’s site here:

“The Cheetah’s body is built for speed. Its legs are relatively long compared to its greyhound-like body; it has a big heart and lungs and wide nasal passages. It is the fastest land animal, timed running at speeds of up to 114km/h (71 mph). While the lion and the leopard rely on getting close to their intended prey before breaking cover, the cheetah’s speed gives it an advantage in the more open savanna. Cheetahs are slightly taller than leopards but not as bulky, probably weighing between 40kg (88 lbs) and 60kg (132 lbs). Although cheetahs are members of the cat family, they have dog-like non-retractable claws. This limits their tree-climbing ability but gives them a speed advantage when charging.

This lone cheetah seemed unperturbed by the clicking of cameras and numerous vehicles in the area. We couldn’t believe how thin she was. We’d seen cheetahs in the past but none looking quite this lean.

Typically, a cheetah will start a charge 60m (66 yards) to 100m (109 yards) from an antelope and, within seconds, will be racing at full tilt. If the buck is alerted in time, it will attempt to throw the cheetah off its trail by zigzagging and dodging between trees and shrubs. Using its long, heavy tail as a stabilizer, the cheetah will single-mindedly pursue its intended prey, trying to anticipate which way it will turn. At the right moment, it will knock the antelope off balance and grab it by the throat as it falls. Because of the relatively small jaws and teeth, cheetahs are not as effective in killing their prey as quickly as lions or leopards, and it can take between five and 25 minutes for its prey to die.

A little grooming was in order.

The element of surprise in hunting is as important for cheetahs as it is for other big predators. While its speed gives it an edge, the cheetah’s vulnerable point is its stamina. It will manage to run at top speed for only about 250m (273 yards) before it needs to catch its breath.

After a high-speed chase, the cheetah desperately needs to rest for about half an hour – even before it eats its prey. This is when cheetahs are at their most vulnerable. They are often robbed of their kill by lions or hyaenas during this recovery spell. If the cheetah is unmolested, it normally devours its prey at the kill site. A cheetah’s food tastes are not as broad as that of the leopard, and it concentrates mostly on small and medium antelope. The cheetah’s diet comprises of the young of larger animals, as well as warthog, ground birds, porcupines, and hares, as well as the smaller antelope. The cheetah’s kill rate is hard to determine, but the consensus is that each cheetah kills between 30 and 150 animals a year, depending on its size, hunting frequency, and the condition of the area. Experts believe a single cheetah ideally needs between one and three kilograms of meat a day to stay in shape.”

For the remainder of this story, please click the above link.
Lounging on a hot day in Kruger.
After the cheetah sighting, we encountered several equally exciting wildlife scenes, which we’ll continue to share in posts over the next several days. Please check back for more.
 
As for today, it’s hot again, similar to yesterday’s unseasonal heat. It’s still winter here for a few more days! As we write here today sitting outdoors on the veranda, it’s currently 35C (95F) and we’re doing fine.  
 
We’ve got the braai (grill) fired up and cooking tonight’s chicken dinner in the event of a power outage at dinnertime which can easily transpire with added power usage during the hot weather.
 

We hope you have a fantastic day whether it’s hot or cool or a balmy almost-fall or almost-spring day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 19, 2017:

“The variegated squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Fifteen subspecies are recognized.”  Tom spotted this squirrel in the yard, alerted me and I took this photo through the glass wall to avoid scaring it away.  For more photos, please click here.

“It’s all a part of nature,” they say…It still hurts…More Kruger photos…

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Check out those long eyelashes.
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
A vulture is on the lookout for a meal.

We often see videos on YouTube, at Marloth Park’s and Kruger National Park’s websites and Facebook pages and other locations that depict horrific photos of wildlife being captured and subsequently eaten by apex predators.

Their graceful beauty is breathtaking.
Often comments are made by viewers after such postings stating, “It’s all a part of nature.” Recently on the Marloth Park Sighting page on Facebook, there was a photo of a still-living young bushbuck being strangled by a massive python preparing to consume it. 

The little bushbuck’s legs were kicking at its last moments of life. Sure, the person who’d found this sighting surely was pleased to have witnessed such a scenario first hand, right here in Marloth Park.
She noticed us watching her from the dirt road.

There’s no doubt had we encountered such a sighting, we’d also have taken photos and posted them. And, yes, it is a part of life worthy of sharing with others who appreciate and love nature including the good and bad it has to offer.  

Giraffe mom and baby.

Most assuredly, some who see such a photo would find it “cool” with no emotion attached to their response. It all depends on one’s attachment and love of nature that precipitates a human response.

 Oftentimes, I’ve shed tears watching the brutal slaughter of animals for human consumption. My life-saving diet requires I consume meat, fish, chicken, and other animals (I refuse to eat any of the animals we see in Marloth Park or on safari). Otherwise, I’d only be able to eat eggs and non-starchy vegetables, not providing sufficient nutrition for survival.

Generally, giraffes don’t bend much to eat although they must in order to drink. On occasion, they find certain bushes appealing requiring them to bend to graze.

The reality for those with religious or scientific beliefs is the fact that animals, by our higher power or other beliefs, were placed on this earth to provide sustenance for other carnivorous creatures including humans.  Otherwise, why would ours and their bodies have been designed to consume food as a herbivore, omnivore, or carnivore?

For example, cows have four stomachs as described here: “The cow has four stomachs and undergoes a special digestive process to break down the tough and coarse food it eats. When the cow first eats, it chews the food just enough to swallow it. The unchewed food travels to the first two stomachs, the rumen, and the reticulum, where it is stored until later.”

Another bird of prey on a search for a meal.
Cows are herbivores only meant to consume plants and grasses.  In this world today, for pure greed, cows are often fed animal by-products as described here:
“The advent of “mad cow” disease (also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE) raised international concern about the safety of feeding rendered cattle to cattle. Feed for any food animal can contain cattle manure, swine waste, and poultry litter.” This goes against nature.
 
I’m not on a “political soapbox” on this topic. I’m simply stating that yes, animals and humans may be intended to eat according to their status as a herbivore, omnivore or carnivore.  
Wildebeest grazing in the bush.
Although the sighting of the python and the bushbuck shook us to the core, this is the reality of being a part of this magical wildlife environment. With it comes the fact that we’ll be witnessing, from time to time, a sad scene such as this. How we respond to it is entirely up to the individual, their level of compassion, and their core beliefs.  
 
For us, we don’t simply brush it off as “nature at its finest.”  In essence, we humans could say when an elder passes away, “It’s the way nature intended it to be.” But this doesn’t diminish nor negate the fact that we loved that person and our hearts are broken over losing them.  
 
If all of us could embrace life, whether human or animal, with compassion and love we wouldn’t be facing the extinction of many animals in the wild or the inhumane treatment of those that are a part of the food chain, the harsh reality of the sustenance of life itself.
A vulture spreading its wings in the treetop.
Now that I have this off my chest, on to other topics of discussion. Please feel free to write in our comments section your views. We’ll happily respond and share them with our worldwide readers.
 
Last night’s dinner with friend Don and his kindly brother Kieth, proved to be a stupendous evening. Having prepared much of the meal in advance, we had considerable time to spend with our guests and it was purely delightful.
Tonight, we’ll be dining on great leftovers, and on the veranda for another fine evening in the bush. By the way, I just got an email from our friend Don that one of the two lionesses we spotted at “Two Trees” today, (coincidentally running into Don and Keith there) killed an impala and are dining in the sand. Hmmm…
 
Have a beautiful day!


Photo from one year ago today, September 10, 2017:

From Part 2 of Toledo Coffee tour in Costa Rica: These dark beans were as a result of the end of the roasting cycle, created the darkest roast which much to our surprise contained the least caffeine. The light roast, produced at the beginning of the roasting cycle contains the highest levels of caffeine. (See our above video) Who knew?  For more details, please click here.

Kruger was on fire…Charred bush on both sides of the tar road …What’s going on?…

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Upon entering Kruger National Park from the Crocodile Bridge, we encounter the devastation from fires on both sides of the tar road for many kilometers. Many downed trees were still smoking, as shown in this photo.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Vervet monkey drinking water off the roadway.

To provide our readers with new photos in each day’s post, we often have to consider our inventory of new images. Posting each day usually leaves us short of new and different photos. When this happens every so often, we make a special effort, rain or shine, to get out in search of more shots.

Yesterday was such a day. We were recently preoccupied with immigration issues and hadn’t taken the time to go into Kruger since we returned from Zambia and Botswana on August 23rd.  

We hadn’t been to Kruger since August 1st, based on crowds during the holiday season. Plus, we were away, and when we returned, we were preoccupied with the visa situation. Finally, we went to the park to find this burnt bush along both sides of the road during a one-hour drive along the tar road.

We hadn’t been to Kruger since August 1st due to the crowds during the holiday season, which continues, although less at the moment. It will begin to ramp up again by September 21st, the first spring day in this part of the world.  Also, school holidays start on September 24th and will continue well into October.

The peace we’re enjoying now will change entirely during the above period. We must remain patient while we focus on enjoying the wild animals that visit during this time and the exquisite scenes that will continue on the Crocodile River, which we can see from the Marloth Park side of the fence between the two parks. The crowds have no bearing on wildlife visiting the river.

The terrain was now hostile for wildlife, and there had been reports from tourists seeing dead animals burned to death in the fires. Heartbreaking.

Our expectations weren’t high when we crossed the Crocodile Bridge into the park, where there was no wait at the entrance gate. We showed our passports, the completed entry form, and our WildCard (yearlong) pass to gain entrance.

It was raining when we entered. In essence, we were happy it was raining when it’s so good for the wildlife to have better water sources and the greening of the vegetation providing abundant food sources.  

Baboons are drinking and playing in the rainwater on the tar road in Kruger.

As dry as it has been these past months, rain is undoubtedly welcomed as a valuable regeneration resource for the bushveld and its wildlife. We’ve never heard any locals complaining about any rainy weather, nor do we. And soon, the rainy season will begin in full force, the closer we get to spring.

As we began the drive along the tar road, our preferred route in the little cars, knowing full well wildlife can be anywhere whether it’s on the tar road or the many dirt roads since they are always on the move regardless of the road surface, we couldn’t help but notice the bush looking more and more charred as we continued on.

Bird of prey in a tree.

Within about 10 minutes, we were surrounded by smoldering trees with smoke wafting through the air on both sides of the road. It even smelled of smoke in the car with the windows closed, and I found myself choking from time to time. Tom, a former smoker, and fireman didn’t seem to notice it as much as I did. For more information on fires in Kruger National Park, please click here.

After the sad drive along the tar road and choking from the smoke, we decided to take the dirt road loop back to the Crocodile Bridge, another hour-long drive.  

The further we drove, the worse it became. We spotted a few animals drinking rainwater out of the puddles and ruts in the road and none in the bush. 

After driving for over an hour, shocked by what we were seeing and anxious to see at least a little wildlife, we took the loop turnoff back to the Crocodile Bridge.  There was no way we were interested in seeing more of the burnt bush.

Once we took the turnoff onto the dirt road, we no longer were driving through the burnt area of the bush and were able to spot a few animals.

After some online research and asking friends, we discovered most likely it was a controlled burn meant to ultimately replenish the vegetation for the benefit of the park and its wildlife.

We couldn’t help but wonder how many animals may have died during the controlled fires. Most animals would flee to safer areas during a fire regardless of its source or intention. From time to time, there are fires during the dry season from human carelessness and lightning.

We were thrilled to see a few giraffes wandering through the bush.

The Rangers set this recent vast fire on both sides of Gomondwane Road (the paved road) and burned for many, many days and kilometers. Since we hadn’t been to Kruger in over a month, we had no idea.

Once on the dirt road, we encountered wildlife but in the rain, very little.  For the first time, we didn’t see a single elephant, a rarity. Next time we go to Kruger, we won’t bother to travel along the tar road once the holidaymakers are reduced in numbers. Instead, we’ll follow other routes, of which there are many in the enormous national park.

Generally, when it’s raining, the animals take cover in dense bush and under trees. As a result, we only spotted a few animals even after we left the burnt area.

Over the next few days, we will share more photos. Today, we’re busy getting ready for tonight’s small dinner party with friend Don (of Kathy and Don…she’s in California right now) and his visiting brother Keith. No doubt, as always, it will be an enjoyable evening.

Last night we had a fabulous evening at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant.  The food was superb, the ambiance ideal, and we had an opportunity to meet new people, two of whom joined us at our table for four during dinner. The place is lively and often filled with friendly South Africans who never fail to engage in great conversation.

Male impala drinking rainwater from the road during the downpour.

The same theme reverberates through the restaurant each time we visit.  Whether tourists or locals, everyone in attendance is enthralled to be among the divine abundance of nature and wildlife in the bush.

Enjoy the day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 9, 2017:

Gabriel, the owner of El Toledo Coffee Factory in Costa Rica, explained the different roasts attributed to the varying degrees of flavor and caffeine.  Again, we were shocked to discover that dark roast, although possessing a more pungent taste, has the least caffeine, contrary to what most believe. For more on the coffee factory, please click here.

Not knowing the immediate future…A little unsettling…Off to Kruger today for a special reason…

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This baby elephant appeared to be no more than a month old.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Frank and the Mrs. eating seeds we placed on the ground for them. They often wait in this spot until we see them hoping we’ll drop some seeds. We always comply. Frank chirps with happiness when he eats the seeds.  

After almost six years of world travel as a result of plenty of advance planning, it’s an oddity for us to live in a state of uncertainty. It’s possible that on November 21st, we may have to leave the country.

We decided to stop looking for a place to stay. Why? When we can’t commit to a booking, paying a deposit, and booking airline tickets, there’s little reason to continue researching.
Elephants as seen through the fence between Marloth and Kruger parks.

In the worst-case scenario, we can find a few hotels where we can stay if necessary, although it’s not the most ideal scenario. The longest we’ve stayed in a hotel was in Minnesota for six weeks in 2017 when we visited the family.

Again, when we return to Minnesota in April, we’ll stay at the same conveniently located hotel where we received an excellent “corporate” rate to offset (to some degree) the high cost of living in expensive Minnesota and dining out for most meals.  

A male impala by the Crocodile River.

Breakfast was included and since we don’t care to eat lunch, this keeps our dining out costs subject to the evening meal only. Thus, if we are forced to leave South Africa in November, losing the non-refundable airline tickets we had to purchase in order to apply for the visa extension, we’ll have to tighten our belts and find hotels that at least include breakfast, free wi-fi, and access to self-serve laundry.

Three months would be a long time to spend in a hotel. Finding a holiday home with less than one week’s notice is unlikely unless there had been a last-minute cancellation. Otherwise, all the good properties, albeit affordable, would be long gone.

It’s a rare occasion that we don’t see elephants when we drive along the river.

Are we losing sleep over this? Surprisingly, no. Nor are we “down in the dumps” worrying day after day. One thing we do know for sure, whatever transpires, we’ll figure it out.

Instead, we’ve decided to continue to embrace this paradise-like environment filled with wildlife, unusual adventures, and of course, our many fine friends. Speaking of fine friends, last night Louise and Danie stopped by for sundowners around 5.  

As spring arrives and temperatures climb, more and more wildlife make their way to the river to cool off and drink

We served a few low carb snacky-type things (they do low carb also, called the Banting diet here in South Africa) such as raw zucchini strips, yellow peppers, and celery sticks with a mayonnaise-based dipping sauce and fresh cheddar cheese sticks. As always, the conversation was lively and animated.  

After they left, we had a light dinner as we welcomed more wildlife into the garden, mostly warthogs, as many as a dozen and three bushbucks, one male duiker, and Loud Mouth the frog. After another very hot day, the evening cool-down was a pleasant relief.

Today, it’s cool and cloudy but we’ve decided to head to Kruger as soon as we upload this post. Next week beginning on Monday and ending Friday entrance into Kruger is free to South African citizens with proper government-issued IDs.

Soon, when the rains come, all of the bush will be green once again.

Surely, the park will be jammed next week so today, although Saturday, it shouldn’t be too crowded. As soon as we upload this post, we’ll be on our way, and tomorrow, we’ll share what we’ve discovered on yet another anticipatory journey through the park.

We’re hoping that tomorrow when we return, we’ll do so with lots of exciting photos. A sunny day would have been preferred but sometimes, regardless of the situation, we have to “go with the flow.”

Have a fantastic day.  

Photo from one year ago today, September 8, 2017:

During this rainy season in Costa Rica, every blue sky was a treat. For more photos, please click here.

Tom’s latest haircut…A new look and…A new smartphone purchase in South Africa…

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Tom’s excellent new haircut. She cut his hair this time as opposed to using the electric clippers. Cost with a tip?  ZAR 130, US $9.35 (includes tip).  Wow!  I love the beard!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A band of mongoose stopped by for raw scrambled eggs. Note the green dish in the right-center of the photo.

When Tom grew a beard in Bali, he quickly became frustrated with it when he said it was “scratchy” on the pillowcase when he was trying to sleep. As light sleepers, any distraction can prevent a good night’s sleep.

Recently, when he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, I raved about the stubble, he decided to give it another try. So far, so good. We all enjoy seeing our beloved significant other with a new look from time to time, don’t we?

I can’t say I shake it up much, living this lifestyle, but as I continue to work on my weight loss, albeit slowly but successfully, that’s all the new look he’s getting out of me. 

Tom’s wild hair before the haircut.

Later, I’ll disclose how much I’ve lost and how I’ve done it. It may be another two months until I reach my goal. I’m only losing about .5 kg (one pound) a week at this point, although I never “cheat.”

Yesterday, we decided to head to Komatipoort a little early and left before I’d finished the day’s post, as mentioned in yesterday’s post. On the way to Spar Center, we stopped at the Pep Cell Phone Store first to no avail. There wasn’t a single phone in that store that appealed to me.

Realizing I probably wouldn’t keep a new phone for more than a year, the price was a major consideration. As it turned out, I left the Vodacom store a few doors from the market with one of the most expensive phones in the inventory price at ZAR 2500, US $179.86.

Within an hour, another band of mongoose came by for eggs, or…was it the same group that was here earlier?  These animals and others are very tricky in making us think they are a new batch of visitors!

Of course, there’s no required contract when buying “unlocked” phones to which one can add two separate SIM cards, one for voice, another for data. Once I selected the phone I wanted, as shown in the photo, the salesperson put my existing voice SIM card in the new phone, and I was ready to pay.

Not unexpectedly, their credit card machine didn’t work (this happened years ago at this same location when we tried to buy data), so Tom headed to the neighboring bank’s ATM for the cash. 

In the interim, the store’s tech guy showed up and got the handheld credit card processing device to process my credit card purchase finally. We can always use the extra Tom got from the ATM, so it was no big deal.

My new smartphone, purchased yesterday at the Vodacom store in Komatipoort.

Actually, this happens a lot here. After all, this is Africa, not the USA, and services don’t always work as expected, seamlessly and without complications. Networks are often down, electricity is often down, and packages don’t arrive as anticipated.

Our package containing hundreds of dollars of supplies, shipped from the US on May 28th, has yet to arrive. Dear Louise has taken over the daunting task of getting the package sent to Marloth Park. 

The postal service has acknowledged it has arrived in Pretoria after successfully going through customs. But the language barrier has been an obstacle that seems to have impeded the conversations when we did manage to get someone on the line. We’ve called no less than 10 times, seeking an answer. We’ll see how it rolls out, posting the results here.

Last night, our next-door neighbors stayed in the house for two and stopped by for happy hour. We had a great time with Lydia and her son Jody from Amsterdam.

When we returned to the house, we put away the groceries, after which I finished and uploaded the day’s post. I was anxious to get my new phone up and running with all my favorite apps.

The process went as smoothly as I hoped, and within a few hours, the new phone was loaded with all my information and apps. Although I rarely make a phone call on the smartphone, I usually use it for the same types of mindless drivel most people do. It was a relief to have this handled.

Last night, tourists from Amsterdam who are renting the house next door joined us for sundowners on our veranda. With the outdoor heater on low, we were able to stay comfortable at the big table. We had a great time with Lydia and Jordy and have already connected on Facebook.

There’s a tinge of green developing in the bush after on and off drizzling over the past few days. This little bit of rain can be so beneficial for the grazing wildlife.

Tonight, we’re invited to dinner at friend’s Uschi and Evan’s home. We have no doubt this will be another enjoyable evening in the bush. Still, the wildlife visitor count is low, and we’re looking forward to Monday when the tourist traffic thins out, and our animal’s friends return to our garden.

Have a fabulous summer weekend for some and winter weekend for those of us on this side of the world!

Photo from one year ago today, August 10, 2017:

One year ago today, we booked the Protea Hotel in Buenos Aires, where we stayed while awaiting the cruise to Antarctica. We ate the eggs, cheese and meats only, no cereals, milk, pastries or fruit. The nightly rate included this breakfast. For more details, please click here.

Bird lover’s paradise…Animal lover’s paradise…

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This morning’s four hornbills love our birdfeeder.

“Sightings of the Day in the Bush”

A typical day at “home,” drying a little laundry in the sun, and a zebra stops by.

We can hardly describe ourselves as expert bird watchers. But as enthusiastic animal watchers, birds certainly provide us with considerable entertainment, as witnessed in many of our posts over the years.

Whether it was hand-feeding kookaburras in Fairlight Australia, setting out seeds for our all-time favorite singing red cardinal in Hawaii, or observing the nesting and hatching of albatross chicks in Kauai, we never failed to take the time to watch and enjoy our feathered friends.
Laughing doves are frequent visitors to our feeder.

Here in Marloth Park, we can enjoy a wide array of birds in our garden or when out on frequent drives through the park or during any foray to Kruger National Park for the day.

Louise recently loaned us a bird book for common South Africa’s birds arranged by color, but I continue to struggle to find the names of birds we’ve seen in the garden and when out.  

This is a streaky-headed seedeater, aptly named, who loves the birdfeeder.

I partly blame myself for becoming frustrated when I don’t correctly pin down the bird’s features efficiently enough to find the photo in the book. At that point, I’ll look online and then, as a last resort, pester our bird-enthusiast friends Lynne and Mick, who live in the UK and part-time in Marloth Park, and friend Louise in Kauai, Hawaii.

When they go to Kruger, they’re searching for birds while reveling in spotting other wildlife. For us, it’s the other way around. We’re looking for other wildlife and happen to come across birds in the process.

Ostriches tend to hang around a specific territory in Marloth Park.  We’ve yet to have any in our garden this time.  However, when we were here in 2013, we had an enthusiastic visitor. To see those photos, please click here.

I suppose it’s a matter of personal preference. Also, it’s not as if one can’t be enthusiastic and expert in both areas. For us, it’s a matter of where our attention is focused at any given time, and although we aren’t experts in either aspect of wildlife viewing, we quickly can wrap our minds around appreciating both.

In other words, it revolves around the lyrics from the old song, “Love the One You’re With,” which I guess applies to many areas of life, including wherever we happen to be at any given moment, loving the one you’re with, the place we’re living at the time, the scenery we’re embracing, and the wildlife we’re incorporating into our daily lives.

Early morning dewdrops on the back of the head of a helmeted guinea fowl, permanent residents in our garden.  Typically, dozens of these birds hovering in the bush, waiting for us to toss pellets to other animals.  They peck at the pellets to break them up into bite-sized pieces.

Perhaps, that’s what travel is all about, getting outside your comfort zone, seeking the unusual, the new, the unique, and the enchanting to expand one’s horizons and furthers our personal growth.

The difference for our way of life, essentially as homeless drifters, nomads, or wanderers, we’re always seeking to learn and grow through our surroundings, whether it’s rich with birds or other wildlife or exquisite scenery and vegetation.

On any given day, there may be as many as 60 of these turkey-like birds hanging out in our garden. They wait underneath the birdfeeder for other birds to drop seeds while they eat.

The world is a magical place, filled with rife, worry, war, and disharmony. One day it could all be gone. We can only pray and play whatever role possible in striving to keep our exquisite surroundings intact. 

Photo from one year ago today, August 7, 2017:

Early morning view of low-lying clouds in Atenas, Costa Rica.  For more photos, please click here.

Lion Day!!!…Finally!…

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What an animal! We feel fortunate to have been able to get today’s photos of lions.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This baboon seemed happy with a piece of fruit she’d foraged.

When we spent three months in Marloth Park four and a half years ago, visiting Kruger National Park on many occasions, we never saw a lion. DWe’dyet to see a single lion on our self-drive safaris. during our almost six months here and after almost weekly trips to Kruger

There was a total of six lions but we weren’t able to capture all of them together in one photo.

On several occasions, we’ve seen lions from the fence in Marloth Park at the “Two Trees” overlook across the Crocodile River. However, getting good photos from almost a kilometer away has been tricky.

Lion lounging on the rocks.

Without special camera lenses and with our somewhat modest cameras and camera skills, we’ve been disappointed with the shots we’ve had so far. Instead, each week when we venture into Kruger, we have a glimmer of hope we may get lucky.

Young male sprouting the beginnings of a mane.  From this site: “The mane has many hypothetical purposes and some reasonable explanations. It is supposed to make the male lion look bigger to an adversary and, therefore, more intimidating. It is supposed to protect the male lion from being bitten and clawed by other male lions. Some researchers have proposed it is a handicap in hot climates and therefore the male lions in Tsavo, Kenya are “maneless”. 

I don’t know what it is about lions that make safari enthusiasts feel great satisfaction when they see them but it seems to be the general consensus in everyone we meet here. We weren’t the only people driving around in Marloth Park for days looking for the lions who’d entered the park through an opening in the fence between the two parks.

Now and then, he opened his eyes to scope the area.

Perhaps, it’s their fearsome nature, majestic beauty and a degree of mystery surrounding their demeanor that makes us literally foam at the mouth when there’s a lion nearby. Maybe for some of us, the excitement of potential danger sends us into an adrenaline rush.  

After all, we don’t bungee or skydive.  How else do we get our adventuresome natures fulfilled in the wild? Lions, hippos (the most dangerous animals on the planet), and other big game can send us into a frenzy of adrenaline pumping through our veins. What a thrill!

A pair on the move.

It’s imperative to stress that after each expedition in Kruger, we are not disappointed or frustrated for not seeing lions up until this point. We’ve had our share of “safari luck” in countless ways in our world travels. No complaining here.

Yawning…

Yesterday morning, no more than 20 minutes into our drive on the tar road in Kruger, as we approached one of our favorite spots, the Vurhami Dam, we saw about a dozen cars stopped facing in all directions with many passengers and drivers hanging out the windows (a no-no in the park) attempting to take photos with phones, cameras, and tablets.

Wishing I’d have taken a better shot. It still was great to see those teeth.  From this site:  Like all other mammals, the African lion has a fixed arrangement of teeth which can be generalized into a dental formula. This formula can only be effectively applied to adults. Like all other cats, the permanent teeth only begin to erupt at around three months of age, pushing the deciduous teeth up and eventually causing them to fall out. The complete set of adult teeth are gained between the period of 13 and 15 months. The front canine teeth are spaced such that they can slip between the cervical vertebrae of their prey severing the spinal cord and also to rip chunks of meat away from the bone.”

The expert driver that Tom is he eventually managed to maneuver us into a spot where we’d have a clear sight of the lions although they were still at quite a distance. As amateur photographers well know, those with primary digital cameras, the more we zoom, the less clear the shot primarily due to our own movements.

Back to sleep.

I’ve yet to master holding perfectly still while shooting and doubt I ever will. This isn’t something that improves as we age. Even taking a breath can upset what could have been a decent photo. I’ve noticed that even Tom’s slightest movement in the little car while I’m shooting has an impact on the photos.

Another young male with a mane in its early stages.

We must have stayed in that ideal position for about 45 minutes, waiting for the lion’s next move or change in position or expression. We were thrilled with the results, as shown in today’s photos.

The lions have excellent vision. From this site: Lion’s eyes have two kinds of receptor cells, called rods and cones because of their structure. Rods are mainly responsible for black and white vision, and cones do the color bit. Human eyes have a predominance of cones – we see colors very well, especially in the red spectrum of light, but consequently, we have a problem with night vision no matter how many carrots we eat. Lions have fewer cones, so they see less color but have great night vision, especially since their eyes also have a membrane that concentrates weak light back to the retina. Their pupils can enlarge to an extent much more significant than ours.” 

When the lions began to scatter and walk away, we took off, still giddy over the experience. We continued on with little to no expectations of seeing much else the rest of the day but the adventures continued.

From this site: “Lions are supposed to be nocturnal, and there is a popular misconception promoted by guidebooks that lions sleep about 20 hours per day. Lions are very opportunistic in terms of when they are active. For sure, most lions will probably wake from their daily slumber and begin to get active at dusk, but this is not always so. If lions have water within their territory that attracts prey animals in the daytime, the lions will be active in the day.”

At one point, Tom spotted a leopard, but it happened too quickly for a photo. Thus, our day consisted of seeing four of the Big Five, lion, leopard, elephant, and Cape buffalo, although we never spotted a rhino all day. (As a side note, seeing the Big Five in a day is not necessarily that important to us which had transpired many times in the Masaai Mara in Kenya in 2013, to which we’ll soon return). 

Over the next few days, we’ll post the remainder of our photos including a few more lion shots not included today and a few new bird sightings that were quite exciting.

May your day bring you joy!

Photo from one year ago today, August 2, 2017:

Tom is as content as he could be at La Perla de Atenas in Costa Rica, one year ago today. For more details, please click here.

Kruger never disappoints…Tomorrow’s post is special…Its a dusty life!…

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Mom and baby and auntie bushbucks visit each day.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We’d never seen an all-grey hornbill. 

For some odd reason, this morning upon awakening, it felt like Sunday when in fact, it is Wednesday, a perfect day to head to Kruger. There’s always less traffic mid-week when many holidaymakers have left the area to return to their homes after a long weekend.

Our living-on-the-premises housekeeper, Martha, is off for a week to see her family, and this morning Vusi, another of Louise and Danie’s trustworthy employees, arrived to clean the house and veranda.
Occasionally, they groom one another.

There are no words to describe how much dust enters the house daily. The entire garden area consists of dry, dusty soil with no grass, no shrubs, and no vegetation other than the property’s bush.

Every animal’s activities, from guinea fowls scratching the ground to zebra’s heavy-footed hooves, resulting in layers upon layers of dust covering every floor, counter, and surface on the veranda and inside the house.

Our favorite bushbucks come to call each day, standing at the bottom of the steps waiting for pellets, carrots, and apples.

Yesterday, before she left, Martha cleaned and dusted the entire house. Once again, all the tabletops and surfaces were covered with a visible layer of dust this morning. This is “the bush.” This is what it’s like.

We decided not to have breakfast this morning in order to head out earlier than usual. If we were hungry at some point along the way, we could always stop at the Mug & Bean in Lower Sabie for a bite to eat. 

The baby has grown considerably over these past few months. On occasion, she’ll rest in the bush with her mom and auntie forage for food.

As it turned out, we were so preoccupied searching for wildlife that food was the last thing on our minds. Instead, we were interested in what the wildlife was eating, grazing and hunting today.

Any ideas on the identity of this bird?

It proved to be a highly successful day. I’d hoped to post a few of the photos today, but after downloading the few hundreds on my laptop, I realized it would take hours to go through them, picking and choosing which we’d want to post. 

Tomorrow is another day, and first thing in the morning, I’ll begin working on the photos before I even start the new post. If all goes well, I should get the latest post uploaded close to our usual time, before noon in this part of the world.

The bird feeder is often surrounded by hornbills.

As we often do together at the end of the day when we set up the veranda for the evening’s festivities, we make a beverage, whether it’s iced tea, wine, or a cocktail, for Tom. Together we review the day’s photos deciding which to keep, which to delete.

I’m especially looking forward to tonight’s photos review when we encountered many notable sightings during our five hours in Kruger National Park.  Back “home” by 1400 hours (2:00 pm), there was ample time to do a quick wrap-up of today’s post with some less significant photos than we’ll share tomorrow.

Any suggestions on the identity of this bird?

As soon as we walked in the door, we changed into cooler clothing. The outdoor thermometer currently reads 36C (96.8F). Gee, is winter already over here in South Africa? Luckily, there’s a nice breeze, and we’re pretty comfortable outdoors where we’re situated at the moment.

Once I’m done here, I’ll head indoors to wrap up the prep for tonight’s dinner. I’d already cut the carrots and apples for the visitors, and yesterday we purchased three 40 kg (88 pounds) bags of pellets from Obaro in Komatipoort, which should be enough to get us through until we leave the 16th for our next visa run. 

Please check back tomorrow for our memorable day, one we’ve never posted while living in South Africa.

Enjoy your evening!

Photo from one year ago today, August 1, 2017:

Cloudy day, water and mountain scene in Las Vegas, Nevada, as we ended 67 days in the USA. For more details, please click here.

Power outage today…

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A Great White Heron was standing in the water at Sunset Dam in Kruger National Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is our friend Tusker.  He is the sweetest guy who comes to visit several times each day, particularly after 1600 hours (4:00 pm).  He’s so comfortable here he often lies down for a short nap.

While midway through making one of our favorite low-carb meals, and before I started working on today’s post, the power went out at 0945 hours (9:45 am). We weren’t too concerned when most often, it comes back on within a few hours. 

Tom read a “paper” book we borrowed from friends Lynne and Mick about the history of Marloth Park while I’m typed the text on the offline app for our site on my phone, which I often use during power outages.

We never get tired of seeing these wondrous animals, both in Kruger and in Marloth Parks.
Unfortunately, I’d forgotten to plug in my phone when I got up this morning, and the battery was almost dead. I typed fast and furiously to be prepared when and if the power came back on today.

Power outages are common in Africa, as are other areas of the infrastructure. For example, we had a package shipped from the US on May 28th, almost two months.  Due to a strike, it’s been stuck in Pretoria since June 6th.
Zebras were crossing the road in Kruger.

We check package tracking and often call to no avail. Yesterday, I was told the “network was down” and to call back again. I called again, and there was no answer.

But, as everyone always says…this is Africa, and we can’t expect such services to be comparable to that in the US and other more developed countries in the world.

A bloat of hippos at Sunset Dam.
Expectations must be kept in check. Our friend Kathy (and Don), while home alone at one of their other homes in Pretoria, South Africa, was without power from last Friday until late Sunday. She couldn’t leave when the electronic gate wouldn’t open without power. We could only hope that type of scenario doesn’t happen here. 
From this site: “Hippos can stay underwater for up to 5 minutes without coming up for air, according to National Geographic. When they sleep in the water, their bodies automatically bob up to the top of the water so that they can take a breath, and then they sink back to the bottom. Hippos’ eyes and nostrils are on top of their head. This allows them to breathe and look around while the rest of their body is submerged. “

We’d grocery shopped yesterday, and the extra freezer is full of meats and other items. The refrigerator is all fully stocked. If the power didn’t come back on, we’d be out a lot of money.

OK, folks, here’s a new one for you…This is a “bask” of crocodiles!

I finished making most of the meal and quickly opened and closed the refrigerator door putting everything perishable inside. We decided the best course of action was to embark on one of our usual drives through Marloth Park, hoping the power would come back on while we were gone. 

We returned several hours later, and we have power. That’s why today’s post is so late. We had an eventful drive, including spotting two lions on the river and other wildlife, and yet, we’re happy to be back at the house with power.
Another “bask” of crocs at Sunset Dam.

No doubt, we’ll have another good night in our blissful surroundings, grateful for even the little things; a good home-cooked meal, lots of visitors to the garden, and of course, having power back on.

Three giraffes at a distance in Kruger National Park.

Tonight, clear skies providing, we’ll be able to see the entire total eclipse of the “blood moon,” which is only fully viewable in certain parts of the world,  South Africa included. It should be a good night!

As winter continues, there’s less and less green vegetation for the wildlife in Kruger and Marloth Park.

Hopefully, wherever you may be, tonight, you’ll get a glimpse of this special moon!

Photo from one year ago today, July 27, 2017:

Too distant for close-up photos, we spotted these two Cormorants sitting on a rock in a pond at the Henderson (Nevada) Bird Viewing Preserve. For more photos, please click here.